Cork article and method of making the same.



- ED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

HERMAN F. BUSOH, OF PITTSBURGH, PENNSYLVANIA, ASSIGNOR TO ARMSTRONG CORK COMPANY, OF PITTSBURGH, PENNSYLVANIA, A CORPORATION OF PENNSYL- mama.

1,105,060. No Drawing".

Specification. of Letters Patent. Application filedMay 24. 1911 Serial No. ceases.

conx ARTICLE AND METHOD or MAKING THE sens.

Patented July28,1914.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, HERMAN F; Boson, of Pittsburgh; in the'county of Allegheny and State of Pennsylvania, have invented a new and useful Improvement in Cork Articles and Methods of Making the Same, of which the following is a full, clear and exact deseription.

dry atmosphere.

My invention relates to the manufacture of. artificial cork from cork waste or granulated cork or similar material. I I

The object of the invention is to obtain artificial cork which will not dry out and become hard and which will not shrink under normal conditions, but will retain to a high degree'its elasticit and flexibility even in a ileretofore, such waste or granular cork or ground cork has been made up into artificial corkwith the use of albumen as a binder, this albumen being renderedinsoluble by heat. Glycerin has also been used to soften the cork particles or granules, but in cases Where such processes have been used, the resulting material will not maintain its proper elasticity and flexi' bility and has shrunk when subjected to dry atmosphere for a continued cried. I have discovered that I can use g yoerin and albumen in the presence of water and cause the glycerin to be completely absorbed by the cork, provided the water is removed or allowed to evaporate or pass away. In this manner, a superior product is obtained having the desired characteristits above referred to.

In carrying out my invention in its preferred form, the glycerin is mixed with an aqueous solution of albumen, and this aqueous solution is then mixed w th the natural cork particles and the Wet mixture s compressed into molds, at least a part of whose sides are porous or absorbent, allowing the moisture to pass away or be absorbed by the wall or walls of the mold. For this pur JOSE, the mold may be formed of porous briclt or tile. The material is maintained under compression in the mold and is subjected to sullicient heat to cause the albumen to coagulate, this heat at the same time causing the water to be absorbed by the porous walls of the mold, leaving the glycerin free to be absorbed by the cork. The same-result we also be obtained by mixing an aqueous so ution of albumen wit the re u-i'red amount of glycerin, then mixmg this with natural cork-particles, and then heating the mixture 01Y-OthQfWiS causmg the water to evaporate, the temperature. however, being below the coagulating point of albumen. The mixturewith the Water thus removed is then compressed into molds and held under compression while subjected to a-sufiicient heat to cause coagulation, or denaturalization of. the albumen, causing the gllycerm to be, absorbed, by the cork under e temperature reached by the applied heat. The desired result may also be obtained by preparing a solution of albumen, water and glycerin and then evaporatin part'of the water from this solution, and under such conditions of temperature and pressure as to prevent the coagulation of the albumen. The a ueous solution resulting is then mixed with t e cork, the mixture compressed into the molds, and the molds heated to a temperature sufiieient to coagulate the albumen ant}i cause the glycerin to be absorbed by the cor In all the forms of the process, the material is referably held under compression during eating and thereafter until it is practically at atmospheric temperature. It should at. least be held under pressure until the material is set after removal from the oven.

The advantages of my invention result from the superior character of the article, due to the complete absorption of the glycerin by the cor This absorption will take place 111 the absence of water, as in the process above described, giving an article which will retain its elasticity and flexibility under any normal conditions and will not become hard or shrink. The process may be cheaply carried out since there is only one heating required, while at'the same time the water is removed either before or duringthe heating to con late the albumen and cause the complete a orption of the glycerin by the ing at least the final part of the heating operation; substantially as described.

2. The method of making artificial cork,

consisting in mixing the cork articles with an aqueous solution of a bint er, and glycerin,,compressing the mixture, heating it while under pressure and removing the water during the heating operation, substantially as described.

3. The method of making artificial cork, consisting in mixing the cork particles with an aqueous solution of albumen, and glycerin, compressing the mixture, heating it While under pressure and removing the water during the heating operation, substantially as described.

4. The method of making artificial cork, consisting in mixing the cork particles with an aqueous solution of albumen and glycerin, and heating the same in a mold having a. porous wall or walls, substantially as described.

5. The method of making artificial cork. consisting in mixing the cork particles with an aqueous solution of a binder, and glycerin and heating the same under pressure in a mold while allowing the water to evaporate and continuing the heating after the water has been removed, substantially as described (3. Artificial cork containing cork particles, glycerin and albumen, said product being free from water, substantially as described.

In testimony whereof I have hereunto set my hand.

HERMAN F. BQSCH. Witnesses I A. F.v Tmmrrrs, H.- M. CORWIN. 

